BRADENTON, Fla. -- Tim Birtsas, Tim Layana and Norm Charlton combined on a four-hit shutout Saturday, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-0 seven-inning exhibition victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The game was shortened because the Cincinnati players had to return to Plant City for a second game Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Birtsas pitched the first three innings for the victory, allowing only a second-inning single to Jeff King. Layana no-hit the Pirates over the fourth and fifth innings. Charlton finished up and earned his first save, but not without a couple of close calls.
Gary Redus tripled off the center field wall with two outs in the sixth, but was stranded when Bobby Bonilla struck out.
The Pirates loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh when Tom Prince singled, Joe Calder walked and Wally Backman singled. But Charlton struck out pinch-hitter Darwin Pennye, who is on the Pirates' Class A Salem roster, to end the game.
It was the second straight shutout loss for the Pirates, who carried a .316 team batting average before losing 1-0 to St. Louis Friday.
Cincinnati scored an unearned run in the first inning when Ken Griffey's two-out single off loser Neal Heaton brought in Luis Quinones. The Reds scored their second run in the seventh when Herm Winningham's single off Scott Ruskin scored Steve Vondran.
Heaton started and pitched five innings for Pittsburgh. Mike Roesler, acquired earlier in the week from the Reds, and Ruskin pitched one inning each.
